WHAT IS THE DIVINE FEMININE?

The Divine Feminine is an energy within all of us, connected to the parts of us that are open, receptive, sensitive, creative, and are adept at being with darkness, change, transformation, and mystery. 

Where do the words divine feminine come from?

The word divine comes from the root word dyeu which means to shine, and it is associated with sky, heaven, and god. The word feminine comes from latin root femina meaning woman. 

Who has feminine energy?

No matter what body you are born into, you have an aspect of the divine feminine and the divine masculine within you. The divine masculine is associated with the action-oriented, analytical, and externally-focused part of our energy. It measures and strategically makes its way through the world through mind and action.

What elements relate to the divine feminine?

The divine feminine is the aspect of us that relates to the elements of water and earth and is associated with states of being open, receptive, feeling, and intuitive. It trusts mystery and is comfortable in the imaginal realms. It has no attachment to form, but instead trusts that the process of creation is one of constantly changing form, and in a sense, formlessness.

What goddesses relate to the divine feminine? 

The divine feminine is associated with the yin Chinese principle, the feminine passive principle of nature. When the divine feminine and divine masculine are in balance, creativity flows. Some associate the divine feminine with the energy of the goddess. In truth, they are one in the same. While certain cultures give names to specific currents of the divine feminine, in particular polytheistic cultures like those in ancient Egypt, Africa, the Americas, and Greece, the divine feminine does not need a face or a name to be felt, sensed, and revered.

Why is divine feminine energy needed at this time? 

The world we live in today operates in a largely imbalanced state, prizing the masculine over the feminine, creating hierarchical power structures. Many scholars believe that patriarchal ways of thinking and organizing, which give the power to men and suppress and oppress women, arose during the same time that agriculture and domestication of animals became common practice. 

It is so interesting that the control and manicuring of the wild, along with the domestication of plants and animals, likely coincided in the beginning with the societal oppression of women. While the exact origin of divine feminine suppression is unknown, the connection between these two is telling.

The Archetype of the Mother

Divine feminine energy is an innate understanding that everything is connected and a deep reverence for the powerful ways of knowing that exist outside of the mind. The divine feminine archetype of the mother demonstrates the immense power that feminine energy has: by being deeply trusting and having faith in oneself and trust in one’s body and all of creation, the divine feminine gives birth to new life. 

Is Divine Feminine Energy Connected to the Wild? 

Divine feminine energy is connected to the wild because rather than seeing chaos as something to be measured and studied, divine feminine energy seeks to understand and be in relationship with all of creation – especially nature – by deeply listening to the subtle senses of the body, intuition, and instinct. By being open and receptive to what can be learned from nature and its creatures, including children and other human beings, divine feminine energy receives the lessons and medicines the mind can’t understand. 

By letting go of attachment to the illusion of control, divine feminine energy trusts that the whole of creation is wildly intelligent and is always conspiring in favor of life.

How can one tap into their divine feminine energy?

The simplest and most effective way to tap into divine feminine energy is to go inward and be silent and still. The internal world is where the divine feminine finds its treasure. 

Another way to tap into divine feminine energy is to reflect on your relationship with your own shadow and to practice really being with your feelings in a deep presence rather than trying to fix, analyze, or change anything. You can also work with your dreams if you want to tap into divine feminine energy. Rather than looking up the meaning of your dreams right away, let the meaning come to you. 

By being more open to mystery and receptivity, you naturally open yourself up to embodying the divine feminine within you. This not only creates more balance within you, but has the potential to ripple out into the world in profound ways.